Fated for Blood
by Shurpuff
Summary: Based on Fire Emblem: Fates. Since her adoption into Nohr's royal family, Corrin has been trained night and day to fulfill a single purpose: to slay the treacherous Queen-Regent Mikoto of Hoshido. One-shot, features several "what-if" endings, may be expanded to a full story depending on input
AN: **This one's very different from the other** _ **Fates**_ **story. No feel-good here, just like in BR/CQ! (cries) –Shurpuff**

* * *

" _My child, it is time for you to accomplish your task. For too long has Hoshido's crimes remain unpunished. No more of their deceit. Their reckoning comes, and it shall be by your blade."_

Her retainers were there, waiting for her, outside the audience chambers. They could quickly see the difference in her demeanor now and from before she spoke with the King.

The Princess's eyes were forlorn and glazed over, as if peering a thousand miles into the great hereafter. But there is no frailty in her shoulders, her steps unfaltering. She descended each step and paused, offering a small smile to her attendants.

The old knight alone remained impassive, unruffled, as if he'd known the outcome for a long time.

The tallest of their number, her butler, hesitated, then stepped forward. "Milady..."

"I'm alright, Jakob," the Princess said. "But this, I fear, is the beginning of the end. I hope to be able to find a good replacement for you, for all of you, before I depart."

The old knight snorted. "So they're finally putting me to pasture. How convenient." But still he doesn't smile.

Jakob clearly desired to speak more, but the Princess continued, addressing the two maids. "I wish to spend a day with Elise. Can you arrange it with her for me?"

"Yes." "It shall be done, milady." The two maids bowed in unison, showing no indication of their thoughts.

It was only then that her facade broke. Her shoulders slumped, and she heaved up a sigh that was halfway a sob.

"I wish to return to the Fort," she told them. She looked up at the sky. "I have much to prepare."

* * *

" _You have trained long through the years. You have honed your body well, surviving tutelage from the likes of Gunter and your brother. You have become one of the best warriors in the Kingdom. You shall need all your experience and more, if you are to succeed..."_

Two warriors fought atop a great fortress under darkened skies.

Each fought with sharp, ringing steel. One was bare from the waist up, the other was the same, save for a strip of cloth around the midsection. Their bodies shone with sweat; breathing out small puffs from their mouths.

The first one fought with a black, gleaming blade, swinging powerful strikes. He was an immovable tower, each strike precise and deadly.

The second fought with two blades; one a smaller flat blade and the other an even shorter one, slightly curved at the end. This one fought with a frenzied sort of grace, its smaller swords glancing against the heavier blade and frantically dodging what could not be deflected.

Close observers would have seen that the two were in a strange stalemate, neither side advancing nor being driven back. The first one struck hard just enough times to keep the other on its toes; the other was too slippery to truly defeat, nearly slipping past the first's defenses were it not for the threat of the black blade.

By some unknown signal, the two disengaged, backing off a few feet from each other.

Corrin stood, panting, in front of her brother. They had been sparring at the parapets of her fortress for nearly an hour. Xander held Siegfried with both hands, in the Wilting Lotus stance.

She cricked her neck. She held two short blades, and wielded them in a reverse grip, imitating the fashion of Hoshidan shinobi. In fact, her smaller sword was forged in Hoshidan manner, using superior Nohr steel. Still, her style was completely her own; they'd dared not abduct a ninja master to teach her.

"Impressive, Corrin," said Xander. "You've managed to keep me away this entire time. Your progress is astronomical."

"Still can't beat you though," she said, a little cheekily. It was not like she held a grudge—Xander's swordsmanship was legendary even outside of Nohr. It was not like she'd be facing down multiple Xanders.

As if reading that last thought, Xander said, "Victory and defeat is all relative to the duty before us. Even a retreat is not wholly a loss. Had this been a battle, you would have clearly bested me, perhaps delaying me enough for your other forces to accomplish their goals."

"Coming from the great Xander himself, that's a pretty big compliment," she remarked.

"Hn." Xander glanced around, as if wary of listening ears. He continued, with lower voice, "You are committed then? To this quest?"

Her voice did not betray her. "Yes."

Xander's face was uneasy. "Far be it for me to dissuade you, dear sister. You are the bravest I have ever known. But... and I say this as your brother, not a Prince, I would very much prefer that you served Nohr by our side. It is not too late to turn aside."

She sighed, lowering her blades. "I love you Xander."

Xander's eyes widened. "Huh?" was all he said.

"And because of that love, I'm not turning around and walking away after you just said that. I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that." She looked her sibling in the eye. An eternity seemed to pass before Xander nodded.

"Once more?"

She nodded. "Once more."

"Using the blind?" Corrin thought about it for a second, before nodding. Xander turned to point to the archers standing towards the far end.

Corrin raised her swords and sank into a low stance. She bound the blindfold around her head. Though robbed of sight, she could sense Xander's strike when he began. She clashed her swords, twirling away when she sensed arrows taking flight.

Deflecting arrows was risky, and not something she'd actively seek out in actual combat. She'd prefer actual cover, like a wall, or another body. But since she was to face shinobi and their irksome shuriken, perhaps under the veil of darkness, she had to learn, and train. She relied on sound and the preternatural sense of danger to sense the arrows. Without a blindfold, she could deflect a volley.

It was much trickier with a blind.

She'd had missteps. An arrow once struck her leg, and one nearly lacerated her neck. Reckless, they had all said. But when one's life rode on a single purpose, anything less than perfect was useless to her.

She felt Siegfried keening for her neck. The arrow volley was over; now it was all a duel. Where Xander fought as if he were mowing down an enemy on the field, Corrin fought like a cornered rat, exactly as she would be doing if she were forced into a fierce melee like this. She jumped and parried, kicked and elbowed her way through and under Xander's blade.

She sank deeper into the flow of battle, and gave herself completely to the battle trance. She did not see the grimace creeping into Xander's expression, nor the troubled eyes watching the battle from the courtyard below.

* * *

"... _Take all you have learned under our sorcerers, under your brother, and use it as you would a blade. You shall need every last weapon in your arsenal if you are to brave Hoshido's halls, to punish their trickery and treachery with the fury of your spells..."_

Leo subtly checked his timepiece. He leaned back, allowing the Duke seated before him to continue speaking in circles. His attention returned to the black orb laid on the table near him. Its surface gleamed like a gem.

There were four other people in the room. Bodyguards, their faces grim and weathered from decades of strife. The only stand-out was a short, hooded figure, who Leo supposed was some sort of mage.

The Duke apparently paid well; Leo sensed their experience even through their laid-back appearances. He wondered if it would be enough to deter the "predator" striking tonight.

For his part, Leo was ostensibly alone. He had nothing to fear from coming alone to the Duke's manse. Not tonight. Especially not after tonight.

Despite focusing on the orb, he could still follow the conversation. "Have no fear, Duke," he said, "I would not be here if His Majesty the King didn't consider the matter dire. Have faith in his vision, and in the protection of the Dusk Dragon."

"I—of course, I understand, sir Prince. But the hour is late..." the man looked at the windows apprehensively, then nodded. "No... you are right. It's best to be cautious. Forgive me for saying otherwise—I am merely feeling a little jumpy after waiting all this time. To think that I am to be a target of a plot by treacherous fools! I will relish the chance of seeing them burn for threatening me... threatening the King!"

"Indeed. I commend you, Duke. Well spoken." He checked the time. "I'm sure this'll all be over soon."

And then, all light in the room disappeared, as if every torch and candlelight had been snuffed out, simultaneously. It took a moment for the bodyguards to cry out and draw their blades, another for the noble to scream. Leo sat patiently, listening to the bumping and crashing that soon followed.

Slowly, the light returned to the room, and Leo could see, like a blind man restored of sight, the carnage that had struck mere moments before. A dark, hooded figure stood over the fallen noble, surrounded by the fallen bodies of his guards. The tip of a blade menaced the noble's neck, and the Duke whimpered and trembled.

"Milord, help! An assassin!"

Leo took a tentative sniff of the air; there was no blood, and he could still feel life in those guards. Apparently, they were only knocked out.

Leo made a hmphing sound. "You're just over a minute late, Corrin. You succeeded in entering the room undetected but the tardiness is a point against you. In that time, your target could have moved to another room, and you'd have missed your opportunity-"

Leo stopped, genuinely surprised when one of the fallen guards, the hooded one, stirred and kicked the legs out from under Corrin. He cried out involuntarily when he spotted the gleam of a dagger flash in the air, but then Corrin lashed out with her own kick, knocking the weapon from the other's arm. Corrin twisted her waist, and Leo felt the bite of magic in the air as she summoned a quick bolt of Thunder to strike deep into the guard's gut.

The guard finally slumped to the floor, unconscious. The next moment, Corrin strode to flip the noble over on his back, as the latter attempted to crawl away.

"W—What is the meaning of this? My Prince?"

Still ignoring the man, Leo went over to the tenacious guard. "That was unexpected. It was good you stayed on your toes, Corrin."

"I thought that one was with you," said his sister.

"No. I needed to simulate a real situation. Any more actors would have diluted the results of your test." When Leo uncovered the guard's hood, he barked off a laugh. "By the gods! It seems Camilla's also been keeping an eye on you."

"That's..." Corrin said, who'd also recognized the face under the hood. She gasped.

"Well well, it appears you've passed two tests tonight, my dear sister. Camilla's unexpected guard, and mine. I have to admit, your mastery over the spells of shadow make even me envious, Corrin. It's too bad your knowledge of such spellwork is limited to that particular branch of study." Though Corrin had also learned what an entry-level mage in the Kingdom did, like basic spells and hexes. Leo could safely say that Corrin had an aptitude for magical studies, if she really put her mind to it.

They'd come a long way since simple hide-and-seek, when Leo tapped into a shadow orb to monitor a room for intruders, while Corrin found a way to surprise him without him knowing. As Leo grew in knowledge and power, so did Corrin, albeit in a different way. Her spells of woven shadow grew more robust, more intricate—to reach the pinnacle today, where Leo, for all his expertise, for all that he layered each room of the manse with his best scrying tools, failed to detect Corrin's passage.

She was ready.

Somehow, that didn't satisfy him.

"Ah, my apologies Duke," Leo said, as an afterthought. "I haven't forgotten about you. You see, there is one truth to what I said earlier: His Majesty demands that traitors who plot against the Kingdom be executed, as is right. Traitors shall burn indeed." Leo, almost lazily, prepared the spell in his hand. "Traitors like you."

"Oh gods..." The Duke was ashen-faced, and in the next moment was well on his way to becoming ash.

Leo turned to lead his sister out of the room. "What shall we do with her?" Corrin wondered, indicating the guard.

"Not to worry. Camilla looks after her own; and the fire shan't spread from that one's treacherous bones. Our sister might even already be outside, waiting to hear the news."

Corrin glanced at the screaming man, then quickly looked away. "A quick, clean death could have sufficed," she muttered.

"Suffering is the only lot for traitors, sister," said Leo. He too glanced at the man, eyes thinning in disgust. "And I am sure that Hoshido disembowels their traitors for the crows to feast. Treachery is a heinous thing, though I suppose the Hoshidans know of it more than anyone else."

Something stirred in Corrin's eyes. "You're right, brother. Let us away, then."

"Your power grows, sister," he later remarked, once they'd left the noble's screams behind. "You've more talent than all the new recruits at the academy combined. You would be a great asset to Nohr, you know."

"Are you attempting to dissuade me, Leo? Xander has already tried," she said stonily.

"Oh. He did?" Leo frowned. "I, as usual, do not see the reason to this madness." He'd thought long and hard about his sister's "purpose". It was madness, to commit one talented asset for a single, arguably minor goal. "But you are my sister, and..." He sighed. "I pray you survive, Corrin. For all our sakes. Nohr needs you. I..." he hesitated.

"Need you?" Corrin said, her harsh expression smoothing out into a smile.

"I was going to say 'miss you', but I suppose the sentiment is not too different."

Corrin suddenly took one of Leo's hand in her own. "Remember this warmth, dear brother," she said. "Whatever happens, this warmth shall ever remain."

Leo stared at his sister for a moment, before shrugging. "I do not understand. This 'warmth' cannot be easily quantified. It will fade, after just a minute. I require something more... permanent."

Corrin chuckled. Leo wondered if that might be the last happy sound he heard from her. "If the gods will it, Leo. If the gods will it."

* * *

Someone's cries echoed through the dimly lit chamber. At the center was a kneeling, near-naked figure. Several other figures stood around it, holding certain implements in their hands. The smell of burnt flesh and dried blood lingered in the air.

One of the latter figures put a long rod on the central person's shoulder. That one hissed, as smoke rose from the point of contact.

"It is done," one of the other figures announced. At that, the others withdrew. "Are you well, milady?" it asked.

"As always..." said the figure, through plenty of hisses and gasps, "It is never a pleasure, Iago..."

"I am particularly proud of this one, milady," said Iago. "My best work yet, and will no doubt see a great improvement in your abilities. Mayhap we could test it now—"

Someone's giggle echoed through the chamber, interrupting Iago. "Now now, good sir, that would be impolite to a girl who's just endured a most painful and humiliating process. Perhaps you can test it... some other time."

Iago turned to address the newcomer. "Lady Camilla." The voluptuous Princess was flanked by servants, who instantly rushed and covered the kneeling figure with a cloak. "Certainly, I shall leave Lady Corrin in your care," said the man, who faded into the darkness without further protest.

Camilla watched him go, then nodded to the attendants, who helped the kneeling figure to its feet. The Princess lunged forward and enveloped it in a tight hug.

"Oh, my dearest sister...! I rejoice in knowing this is the last that boorish man will ever dare touch your sweet flesh! A disgrace, for such a fine specimen to be manhandled by the likes of him and his ilk!"

"Ow ow ow! It hurts, it hurts, Camilla...!" cried Corrin, though whether the Princess referred to the other's hug or the scars on its skin was up in the air.

Still holding on to Corrin tightly, Camilla said, "Now let us retire to my quarters, m'dear. A refreshing bath, a little skinship time; then tea, certainly."

Some time later, in Princess Camilla's residence, the Lady Corrin was currently knee-deep in water within the very spacious tub. Naturally, Camilla was there, sitting behind her, and washing away the sweat, blood and grime from Corrin's back with a rag.

Corrin hissed as the rag made contact with a particularly sore spot. "Oh, I'm sorry dear," Camilla exclaimed. She leaned in to repeatedly kiss the spot on the other's back. "Pain away, pain away!"

"You don't have to keep doing that, sis..." Corrin said in a strained voice. Her body was taut, as if she were enduring a fresh wave of pain.

"And whyever not?" Camilla said playfully. She traced the faint markings etched all over her sister's back. Corrin gasped when her nails grazed an old one.

These were tattoos, markings of power. All carved directly on her skin, like words on a scroll. All to give her sister all the advantages she could get, to accomplish what she was ordained to do, since her father took her in and adopted her as their sister. Words of power to make her skin tougher, sap fatigue from her muscles so she could last longer, even make small wounds knit itself close.

Over the years, when her affection for Corrin grew, Camilla began to dread, even hate her yearly "carving" sessions. She didn't know why Corrin endured such a barbaric procedure, even willingly going to the court sorcerers.

That was when she learned about her sister's purpose, and of Corrin's own determination to see it through. Camilla was then of two minds: did she love her sister enough to force her to stop, or let her go?

"You're not going to try to persuade me to stay?" Corrin asked. Camilla was shaken from her thoughts. Her expression softened.

"Do you want me to?" she replied quietly. She wrapped her arms around her sister's neck, crushing her back to her. She leaned forward, brushing wisps of silvery hair away and whispered in Corrin's ear, "If you want me to, we can petition father. I know plenty of people who shall support me. Mayhap father's heart can yet be swayed."

Corrin was silent, and continued to be for a few minutes. Camilla thought her sister had fallen asleep, and was about to lean over to look when she spoke.

"Honestly, there've been times when..." Corrin paused, swallowing. "I've been... tempted to stop... to refuse."

Camellia didn't say anything. She waited for her sister to continue. Then she heard something drip onto the water's surface.

Corrin was crying, though she spoke as if she wasn't. "But I've got no choice! Hah... I won't forgive them... who killed... hah... who abandoned me... this is all... I can do..."

Camilla stayed with her sister for a long time. Near dawn the next day, when her servant came to her bed and asked what they should do with the leftover bathwater, she bid them throw it all out.

"Milady?" asked the servant, confused.

"You heard me," she said coldly. "And make sure no one else interrupts for the rest of the day. You may leave a feast outside the door."

"Understood." Normally, she'd enjoy a second soak in the used water, but seeing Corrin's distress, and after she'd comforted the girl through the night, Camilla was no longer in the mood for any of her "obsessions".

She turned back to the other girl sleeping on the bed. Corrin looked so innocent and peaceful while she slept, her lips so open and inviting that it took tremendous willpower to keep staring. Camilla calmed herself, dredging up the grim reminder that this might be the last night they'd ever spend together.

She hugged her sister tighter for that, desiring to remember every last sensation from the other's body. The sleeping Corrin moaned, though didn't protest and instead sank willingly into Camilla's body.

* * *

" _...Gird yourself appropriately, both in body and mind. It pains me to say this, but this may be the last time you shall see Nohr, and your family. Take heart in knowing that what you shall do will resonate through all of us for the rest of time..."_

They'd brought a lot of food to the Cape. Corrin joked that they couldn't possibly eat it all. Then Jakob intervened, saying that he would finish everything should the need arise.

The sky was cloudy, but not dismal. There was a warm breeze from the nearby sea, which forced Flora to nail several parts of their mat to the ground. The strong wind had already victimized Felicia, who'd nearly dropped their food had it not been for Jakob's timely intervention.

Corrin had hoped for her other siblings to make it to the picnic. Xander had affairs to deal with at the capital, while Leo had been called to an important meeting with father. Camilla was set to join, but at the last minute a summons came from some noble, whom her sister could not just ignore. Corrin thought that Camilla might just rip that poor woman limb from limb when she got to her.

That left her and Elise, who looked positively joyful that she'd spend her time exclusively with her sister.

"It feels like aaaages since we've had a picnic," Elise had said joyfully.

"The tea is almost ready, Lady Corrin, Lady Elise," Jakob announced. Despite the strong breeze, he'd managed to get a small fire going to heat up some water.

"These crepes are delicious, Flora," Corrin remarked.

"Very!" Elise agreed.

"I'm glad you liked them milady," Flora said. Near her, her twin Felicia seemed to be struggling to pull something from out of a small satchel.

She succeeded, though the action made her fall backward—knocking the teapot away and spill its contents on the grass.

"Awawawa!"

Naturally, Flora and Jakob were not too pleased. She and Elise watched the two berate Felicia for a long time.

Later, they all sat to enjoy the view of the sea below. Elise had insisted she sit on Corrin's lap, and the latter obliged easily. The two sisters cuddled each other while they watched the wind blow through the grass.

"Hey, this was really fun! Where do you think we should go next, big sis?" Elise said.

"Somewhere else? Maybe? We could go up north, with Flora and Felicia's people," said Corrin. She glanced at the two maids, who nodded.

"And you can make all sorts of things with the snow, milady," Felicia said cheerfully. "Snow angels, snowmen..."

"It is a wonderful sight," Flora murmured.

Elise pouted. "I dunno... What if it's too cold?"

"Worry not, milady. We'll bring plenty of coats," said Jakob.

"Yeah... that's an idea," Elise said, though she didn't seem enthusiastic.

Sensing that, Corrin said, a bit jokingly. "Well, assuming we manage to conquer Hoshido, we can go there. I've heard their land's got a lot of beautiful places to see."

"Wow! Yeah, that actually sounds better. A shame we're not friends with those guys, huh. Maybe we could've just asked them to let us visit."

Corrin fought to retain her smile. "Yeah... it's unfortunate."

She went on to describe all the places in Hoshido that she'd read about. By the time she was through with the narration, she'd noticed that Elise had fallen asleep.

She sighed. This was fine. Wouldn't do to dislodge her right when she'd just slept. Jakob, ever quick on the uptake, arranged for a cushion placed against her lower back. She mouthed a silent thank you before leaning back and watching the sky.

"... love... you..."

Corrin's ears twitched when she heard Elise's whisper. She peered at her sister's face, trying to see if she was awake.

Well, it wasn't like it mattered.

"Love you too, little sis."

* * *

" _...Go now, and fulfill your destiny. May the Dusk Dragon guide you through the darkness, and grant you ever-lasting victory. You have my blessing, Corrin."_

 _"Understood... father."_

* * *

There was a brisk wind in the air. Early morning in Nohr was as gloomy as the night that came before. Jakob had just about secured the silverware between two sets of clothes when the door to his chambers opened.

He turned, ready to snap at whoever dared to interrupt him. Then he faltered when he saw Lady Corrin. "Milady..."

"You're not coming."

His expression was caught between denial, anger, and sorrow. "No..." he said slowly. "You are misunderstanding, milady."

Corrin sauntered into the room, and Jakob was stunned to see that she was garbed for travel. "It couldn't be..." he muttered, eyes going up and down her frame. "Today...?" he asked, searching her eyes.

"You're not coming, Jakob," Corrin repeated. Despite her words, no trace of reprimand was in her voice. "You're going to present yourself to my little sister, and you will do your absolute best for her in the foreseeable future. Am I understood?"

"Yes I..." Jakob swallowed audibly. "I'm afraid I can't do that, milady." Gaining conviction with every second he watched her, he continued, "My place will always be at milady's side. Even unto the very end... I shall always be there."

Corrin took his hands—which he now noticed had been shaking. He watched his master slowly peel the glove off, then pressed his bare palm against her cheek. "Jakob..." she murmured, and for a moment he saw the little innocent angel he'd admired for much of his life, for whom he'd had an almost childish vision of serving forever. Then that moment passed, and Jakob could see that the girl was no longer there, here was his master, headed for the noose she had prepared for herself for a long time.

Though knowing that it wasn't his place, but ignoring it even so, Jakob moved to envelop Corrin in a hug. He was now aware that he was crying; such an undignified sight for a butler. "I can't..!" he sobbed. "I can't let you go... Please! Take me with you! If you must die, then allow me to go ahead..! Please, my master... my... lo—"

Jakob felt her respond, arms rising up to his back to give him a squeezing embrace. Then she pushed him back. Her eyes were shining, or was that just his tears molding the candlelight? "Thanks, Jakob. Thanks for everything." She put his bare palm against her cheek one more time, then sighed.

She said something else, though oddly enough he couldn't hear. But judging from the way her mouth had moved, it looked to be something like "I'm sorry".

He was wondering why she'd say that when his knees lost all sensation, and he found himself falling back against his bed. In a panic, he sought to right himself, but found that his arms were no longer moving. He couldn't even move his head; at least he could still see Corrin's face.

"Milady... what..."

Her mouth moved, though he couldn't really understand what she'd said. His vision was blurring at the edges, there was a faint buzzing in his ears. Before he could think anymore, he swore he felt a moist, warm sensation on his cheek, followed by a sudden rush of his master's scent shooting through his brain. The sweet scent was the only thing he clung to as he was driven irresistibly to the murky depths.

When Jakob came to, some hours later, the whole fortress was in an uproar. The Lady Corrin had somehow snuck out for parts unknown. An entire regiment of the army then came to close up the whole place, for "investigating". Any of their attempts to leave were met with hostility, each promising swift death by authorization of the King.

In all the hubbub, Gunter had disappeared. Jakob only found out later, after he'd dried out his tears.

The royal army left a week later. By that time, Lady Corrin's trail had gone cold. Though they followed on the swiftest steeds they could find, Jakob feared that it might already be too late.

Days later, when they spied the lands of Hoshido, even that kingdom's skies looked as bleak as Nohr's.

* * *

" _My daughter, always remember how Hoshido betrayed you and your father. Always remember that when Hoshido abandoned you, it was I who took your hand, who took you in as part of my family. Your duty then is to Nohr, to_ me _."_

For such an important place, the Royal Palace of Hoshido was lightly protected.

It had taken her days to acquaint herself with strange Hoshidan architecture. She'd made nightly trips to important-looking villas, noting each and every design feature. Leo had always warned her about this aspect of her mission, as it was a unique aspect of Hoshidan culture which they would have to take great pains to replicate.

Still, Corrin prided herself in going completely undetected during those trips. She'd seen a few ninja patrolling the city, but they were never aware of her presence.

The same could be said of the royal palace's ninja. They weren't taking pains to hide their presence. Tonight, on this very special night where Corrin could feel her blood boiling, could feel her vengeance close enough to grasp, the Palace was an open door.

Still, the Palace was huge, and Corrin still didn't know where her target was. It was difficult to arrange a cover story to meet with the Queen-Regent. She also obviously couldn't hire herself as part of the cleaning staff to help scout the place, which ran the risk of someone recognizing her.

There! She felt the threat of shuriken before she heard their hissing through the air. She deflected it handily with the sword. She felt a sick satisfaction in hearing a surprised grunt from the ninja.

She sped forward, looming over her fallen foe. She wasted no time in pricking him with the numbing venom. She did a double-take when she realized it was a woman. She found herself subconsciously comparing cup sizes, finding herself lacking, then shook her head free of such thoughts and stowed her body away.

She incapacitated several other ninjas the same way with the venom. Each taken out by surprise attack.

Corrin kept advancing, moving with greater haste. The alarm had not yet been raised, but each second she delayed meant other ninja would discover their comrades' bodies—

There! She sensed the oncoming shurikens, though the low angle made it hard to draw her sword. She cartwheeled to evade them instead, drawing both swords in the same motion. She settled into a low stance.

 _Damn!_ Two ninjas stood there, their own weapons bared. This would be tricky.

"What do we have here, brother?" rumbled the first ninja.

"A foolish rat, but from where? Did Kohga send you? Come to spy on the royal family?" said the second one.

She refused to be baited by their talk. "Kaze, go and ring the gong," said the second one. "I will deal with this one."

Before the first ninja could leave, Corrin lashed out with a dagger, forcing him to dodge back. Attached to it was something of her creation, a chain that she used to drag the projectile back to her.

"None of you are going anywhere," she said.

"A kunoichi, hmm? And using a strange weapon at that."

"Brother, perhaps we should tag-team this one. She seems dangerous."

"Indeed. Leave nothing to chance." The two blurred into action, moving as one.

The next few seconds were filled with fast, desperate combat. She thanked the stars for Xander's continued sparring, which allowed her to see her opponent's attacks despite the dim lighting.

Her two enemies were certainly skilled with their blades. Without the dark mages' enhancements, she would have probably been overwhelmed by their attacks. This was a bad area for her to defend, without a space to retreat to. She was pinned, trapped pincer-like.

"Give up!" shouted one of them, drawing his sword into an overhead stance. A high-powered move, deadly if it hit, but very slow to start—and gave her just the opening she needed.

She lashed out again with the dagger, striking the man deep in his chest. She kicked him away, before preparing a small thunder spell and punching it into the other man's head while he'd frozen in shock.

"Saizo—Ugh!" The second one still stood, despite that, which she amended by thrusting her hilt into his head, knocking him out cold.

Shurikens came from behind. She ducked, just in time, pivoting to send a second dagger into the first ninja. She pulled her first dagger, using the reverse momentum to pull her forward to knee him in the chin. He grunted in pain, before lying back and becoming still.

She had no time to savor her victory; the sounds of battle might have woken up the whole castle. She retrieved her daggers, then pricked the other ninja with poison. She didn't prick the one named Saizo—with the two wounds on his chest the poison would only kill him. (Though he would definitely die if no one healed him before he bled out)

She began to run. She didn't want to think about what would happen if she had to flee without accomplishing her mission. That meant weeks, perhaps months of lying low, waiting for another chance. She could not assault a fortified palace, not if there were other ninja equal in ability to those two.

Corrin didn't stop moving until she came to an area that called to her with an eerie familiarity. Everything seemed like an old friend, welcoming her back. Childhood memories, so blurry, flooded her mind. She was here.

The royal chambers. She dropped down from the ceiling, examining each one closely. Most were empty. She found a grander looking room, through which she spied on who she assumed was the Crown Prince, sleeping. The sight of him made her blood boil, but she resisted the temptation. His demise would come, in some distant future, when Xander or another would avenge her death through Hoshido's eventual conquest.

She paused in front of a room similar to the Crown Prince's. The air was fragrant from some unknown scent. It was again familiar, but the feeling was stronger now, to Corrin. Like a loved one's scent—the candles in Leo's room, or Camilla's bosom. Like someone dear. Like a mother.

"I knew they would send someone eventually." Corrin jumped, surprised, but ready to retaliate with her blades. Someone stood there, under the shadows of the eaves. Despite the darkness, she had no trouble seeing her—she was dressed in white and was pale as the moonlight. "It seems Orochi's fortune was correct, as usual."

Though menaced by two gleaming blades, the Queen-Regent of Hoshido spoke calmly. It ignited her suspicions—a trap? She could sense no other people hiding in the darkness nearby.

"I know not who sent you," the Queen continued. "But know that killing me will only ensure the world's end. Surely you would not wish it on your friends, on your home, on your family."

Upon the last word, something in Corrin snapped. She bounded forward, sheathing her swords so she could grasp the front of the Queen's dress and push her roughly against the nearest wall. "And what would _you_ know about family, treacherous whore!?"

The Queen now showed some emotion: she gasped, but glared at her with anger. "If it is truly important to you, then do it. I am already damned, I care not for my own life."

"Brave, 'noble' words from a snake," hissed Corrin. "Don't tell me you got sick of ruling all these years? And this after you personally betrayed father to seize the throne? You disgust me, 'Queen' Mikoto."

"Betrayed?" Mikoto's eyes refocused on hers, peering into her eyes. "I don't know what lies you've heard, but I betrayed no one."

"Not even your husband?" Corrin said slyly. "The King Sumeragi?"

Mikoto's eyes flashed with anger. "I never betrayed him. I loved him."

"Whom you had assassinated, while also leaving your only child to the wolves."

Anger then flashed in her eyes. "You may insult me, you may kill me, but you may not accuse me of such horrible things! I loved them both! And I would have never forsaken either of them, nor less betrayed them."

"Even faced with death, you still spew such lies?" Corrin could not believe it. She'd never seen anyone, not even a hardened criminal, continue to lie unto their death. She tightened her hold on the Queen. "Then what really happened to Sumeragi?"

"The King..." Mikoto began, through gritted teeth. "Was invited by King Garon for a ceasefire meeting... in Cheve. He brought along my beloved daughter, trusting... to the Nohrians' honor... I begged him to keep her here, but... Then at Cheve... their entourage was ambushed... by King Garon and his men... they all died... my daughter, my husband..." As she spoke her eyes filled with tears.

"False!" Corrin roared, ignoring the tears in her own eyes as she said, "You sent father to Cheve... You sent your daughter with him... _your_ men ambushed them, while she was spared... But King Garon slaughtered your tools, and rescued the daughter you'd abandoned..."

"That's not _true_!" protested Mikoto.

" _I_ was there, 'mother'!" Corrin said, ripping off her mask. Mikoto's eyes widened in shock. She wondered how it felt, to be confronted by the specter of one's guilty past so starkly, like this. "And _now_ , after a long time waiting, wise King Garon shall see your sand-castle crumble. I shall see justice for father, for me."

"Corrin..." Mikoto said breathlessly, her face gone paler than before. "Is that... really you?"

"Yes. Perhaps it is this face that haunts your dreams, when the guilt sometimes becomes too much?"

"Corrin, I'm so glad..." Mikoto said, her face somehow dissolving into tears. "I'm so glad to see you're alright..."

"You dare shed tears?" she cried.

"Ah... my daughter... I don't know what lies you've heard, but I did not betray you, or your father. You were led into a trap by King Garon, and your father killed by his men. For a long time I had thought you were lost with him, but now..."

Corrin chuckled darkly. "A convenient lie. When confronted by the sheer facts, still you persist. Why, 'mother'? Why did you betray us?"

"Listen to me, Corrin! You were told lies! Garon lies, if he claims I betrayed you."

"He _saved_ me. Adopted me into his family! Raised me to the truth, prepared me for this very day. Though I die, I know I honor both my fathers."

"He sent you here? Oh my poor sweet Corrin. What has that monster done to you?"

"Father loves me."

"... If he truly loved you, then he would not have sent you to die today, to kill your own mother. No one willingly lets their child on that path. Surely you can see that Corrin?"

"I am a weapon," said Corrin, echoing words she'd grown up with for a long time. "Forged to be your reckoning."

"A tool," Mikoto said sorrowfully. "Oh, my child, my poor child."

"Still you cry?" Corrin asked.

"What mother would I be if I did not? Oh, Corrin, if only you knew... the many nights I spent unable to sleep, haunted by nightmares of that day... the day I lost two of my most precious treasures: your brave father, and you... I vainly hoped you'd been spared, if only so I could see you again... The gods granted me that wish, but oh how painful it is!" And then, to Corrin's surprise, her mother caressed her cheek. She pushed the finger away with a twitch of her head.

"I..." Could she be wrong? Could it have been all a lie?

But that would have meant that everything, her whole life, had all been a sham. And she could not accept that, could not reconciliate that with the love she'd felt with Xander, Leo, Camilla, and everyone in Nohr. So what if she gave her life for her family? It was a small price.

And yet, one small, jealous voice, the same voice that kept her awake in the nights since her father had commanded her to begin; the voice that questioned, objected. Why did she need to do it alone? Why was she expected to die? How could a father who claimed to love her, send her on this damned mission?

As if sensing the brewing turmoil in her mind, Mikoto stroked her cheek again. "Kill me, Corrin," she murmured.

"Eh?" She only then noticed that her mother had wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Kill me. Fulfill your purpose," Mikoto said firmly. "Only... you must leave immediately. There is a shortcut through my room. It leads to an underground passage unknown to everyone else. It shall lead you to a place down in the city. You must escape before the city closes down."

"I... so you do admit your treachery, Queen-Regent?" she said, her voice desperate.

"No. I deny 'his' lies to my very last breath. But I cannot let you die again. You will live, you will impress your family, impress Garon. Whatever happens afterward... to Hoshido, or the world..." she hesitated. "You must live... my child. Promise me that."

Corrin's mind reeled. Here was one whom she'd sworn to hate, and she'd just told her to leave; where her father, whom she'd loved, had told her to die. She drew her sword, held it to her mother's throat, but her mind was in a jumbled mess. She wanted to scream, to disappear into nothingness, to return to Nohr, demand answers, to obey immediately and see her family again... She wanted to—she wanted to...

What should she do?

"I... must..." she said, her eyes squinting through the tears.

She saw her mother's face, as clear as the morning sun. She was smiling.

"I love you."

Corrin howled, and struck.

* * *

 _"Beware the words of royals-for they are almost always poison."_

 _"What do you mean, Gunter?"_

 _"You shall learn that, in time. Good luck, Princess."_

* * *

AN: **Did she do it? Or did she not?**

 **I tried to keep Corrin's new "class" as balanced as it could be. Then again, here she was trained to be a one-way nuke instead of a balanced fighter... As an aside, before anyone points out the absence of a certain someone at the beginning, let me just say that it is part of the story.**

 **Thoughts? Insults? Requests? Don't be shy...**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading! -Shurpuff**


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